Patient Safety Awareness Week 2019

Patient Safety Awareness Week is an event that happens every year to recognize and encourage people to learn about health care safety. During this week, medical professionals seek to advance important discussions and inspire action locally and globally to improve the safety of the health care system for both patients and the workforce.

At some point in their life, everyone ends up interacting with the health care system. With patient safety being the fundamental principle of health care, everyone has a role to play in advancing health care safety. Patients who have trouble walking around should be monitored in case of falls. Slips and falls can be really damaging to the body, so it is good to practice safety for those who have trouble walking around.

For better safety practice, it is good to use Hook and Loop fasteners. Hook and Loop fasteners are a highly adjustable fastening tape that can be used anywhere you need to attach two items together. The two sides of the tape adhere to each other, one side has rough hooks and the other side is made of soft, fuzzy material. Patients can use these fasteners to make daily living tasks easier. For example, Hook and Loop can be attached to a walking cane and a patient’s wrist for better grip. Hook material can be mated with loop material to create a secure, yet removable bond. This makes it so the cane won’t slip from a patient’s grasp.

The 2019 observance of patient safety week will begin on March 10th and goes to the 16th. During this week take the time to think about patient safety and ways you can contribute.